A Technological Campaign, With New Revealing Evidence

Northern Bald Ibis - © Copyright Kees Terburg

Believed extinct in Syria for more than 70 years, the magnificent bald ibis geronticus eremitaswas rediscovered near the ancient city of Palmyra, 2002. This was a very small population of 3 birds, named Sultan, Zenobia and Salam, found in the hot Syrian desert.
The only existing wild population of northern bald ibis was, until recently, located solely in Morocco. The importance of the “syrian” bird find was immense as this population was migratory, unlike the Moroccan birds. Not until recently, the migration route and wintering grounds was a mystery. Critically, tracking the birds’ migration route is the key to the survival of the northern bald ibis population, as once the wintering grounds are discovered they can implement conservation plans. Let us look at what these satellite transmitters have revealed ?
Using small, lightweight satellite transmitters funded by the National Geographic Society and AEWA, scientists and experts from RSPB, BirdLife Middle East and the Government of Syria, have come one step closer in tracing and pinpointing the actual migration routes of these few remaining birds. All the excitement produced by these three birds’ continues Bert Lenten, Executive Secretary of UNEP/AEWA says,

This is an exciting moment for everyone who has been following the conservation story of the Northern Bald Ibises. To be able to finally follow the three Northern Bald Ibises on your computer screen along their migration from Syria, through Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and on to Ethiopia is truly magnificent. It is also turning out to be quite a technology driven PR campaign for these birds.

Being able to find out where the ibises spend the winter is wonderful news, something feared might never have been resolved. In Chris Bowden’s words, Knowing where these birds go and how they get there is a major breakthrough”.

Using satellite tags, a group of ibises was tracked to the remote highlands of Ethiopia,
where they were last recorded

almost 30 years ago. The birds must survive a perilous, A journey over 3,100 km (1,900 miles) crossing over the red sea, to get there each year. Despite breeding well in Syria, scientists now reveal, a fear that hunting, overgrazing or the heavy use of pesticides including DDT somewhere on the birds’ migration route has been keeping numbers low. Protection measures on the ibises’ migration route could include replacing harmful pesticides and making hunters aware of how rare and vulnerable the species is. This is no easy task, although Ibrahim Khader, Head of

BirdLife Middle East, offers encouragement:
We are optimistic that protection of the ibis in Ethiopia and Yemen will be good but the birds must still survive a perilous journey to get there each year, and it is our job to make that journey safer. If we can do that, this population will have a much better chance of survival.
I would like to encourage anyone interested in the ibis migration mystery to read a recently published International Single Species Action Plan for the Conservation of the Northern Bald Ibis AEWA Technical Series No. 10 which was compiled by Maria Jose Jimenez Armesto, Christiane Boehm and Chris Bowden in close cooperation with the International Advisory Group on the Northern Bald Ibis (IAGNBI) gives an overview of the current state of and conservation efforts needed to ensure the survival of this critically endangered species.

Sources: BBC News , RSPB, Life of birds